Internal-combustion turbine



14 1 2 1,632,151 June 9 F. WONDRA INTERNAL COMBUSTION TUR'BINE Filed Sept, 27, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTUR 55 T52.

' w 1, 2, June 54,1927. F WONDRA 3 7 INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE Filed Sept. 27, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 25 24 2/ 30 +7 M O 20 I 3/ as Jig 00 2.1 0; 53; I V 60 2 91 I I h \Q V i MN L i 5 36. 59 4 I 2s 3" a" s/ 57 55' l J s, IE I III INVENTDR 1,632,157 June 1927- F. WONDRA INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE Filed. Sept. 27, 1921 4 sheds-sheet 3 '6 'ZE B. 64 O 1, ,1 June ,1927. F. WONDRA 632 57 INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE Filed Sept. 27. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I F: .110

53 v.5 HA Q ENTOR u j/y 7/5,

Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANZ WONDRA', OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION TURBINE.

Application filed September 27, 1921. Serial No. 503,614.

My present invention relates to improvements in turbine engines of the character described in my prior Patents 1,252,369, filed October 17th, 1.908, and 1,298,430, filed February 27th, 1911, and has for its object the novel construction of fluid pressure generators hereinafter described.

Another object of the invention is the arrangement of small units of the turbine, to form a; large unit.

Another object of the invention is, to reduce the volume of the working fluid produced, reducing thereby the power of the turbine.

This invention relates to internal combustion turbines, where the combustion ,takes place intermittently and at constant volume through spontaneous combustion of the charges, and where part of the heat of the products of combustion is abstracted and utilized with the exhaust of the turbine for generation of steam, which in turn is mixed with the products of combustion after each discharge.

The prmluction of the mixed working fluid is mechanically controlled and the expansion of the fluid is carried below the atmospheric pressure.

The manner in which the above objects are. attained and the mode of operation is fully explained in and by the following statement and is clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

It. is known to me, that turbines have been built working with mixed fluid and at constant pressure. The work done in compressing the charge or producing :vacuum in these types of turbines in proportion to the power developed, is so large, that the overall etliciency of these turbines is very low.

It is also known to me that gas turbines of the constant volume type have been built, where the working-fluid consists of the roducts of combustion only.' Turbines 0 this type need large amounts of air for scavenging purpose and this air takes heat away, which cannot be utilized in the same turbine again. I

This invention differs from all'known systems of internal combustion turbines, in that the workin fluid. is a mixture of products of combustionproduced at constant volume and steam. This working fluid is produced 1 in a plurality of fluid pressure generators which are divided in groups, and while one group discharges the working fluid against the turbine wheel, another group is being charged. with fresh air and fuel charges.

During the combustion period the gases are entirely enclosed, cannot expand, and part of the heat escapes into the steam jacket which surrounds the combustion chamber.

The steam in this jacket has been generated partially by the heat of the exhaust of the turbine.

The potential energy of the gas and steam is changed into kinetic energy before mixing, the-steam jet streams through an annular nozzle around the gas jet, whereby the steam is internally superheated, and the temperature of the gas is reduced before it enters the expansion nozzle.

The air and fuel are admitted into the combustion chamber separately, the temperature in the combustion chamber is kept so high as to cause spontaneous combustion of the charge.

The fuel 'is injected into the air in the combustion chamber, and because the whole amount for one charge cannot enter at once, the combustion will not become an explosion. The exhaust of the turbine is expanded in a low pressure turbine below the atmospheric. pressure, and discharged into a regenerator, where the remaining heat is used for generation of steam and heating of fuel, and finally discharged into a condenser.

The condensable part of the exhaust is condensed there, and the rest is compressed by a turboblower to the atmospheric pressure and discharged.

The compression of the air is accomplished in stages, and the compressors are driven by the turbine.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of the turbine with four fluid. pressure generators.

Fig. 2 is side view 'of the whole turbine system, the regenerator being shown in longitudinal section.

'Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the fluid pressure generators, and a part of the turbine wheel.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4, 4, of Fig. 3.

I Fig. 5 is a section on line 5, 5, of Fig. 3.

Fig; 6 is an arrangement for cutting out single fluid pressure generators.

Fig.7 is an axial section of the turbine system on line 7, 7, of Fig. 1.

.Fig. 8 is an arrangement for. cutting out I turbine is in operation;

single fluid pressure generators hile the Fig. 9, is anenlarged view of the cutting a rrangements' se arately for steam and the products of combustion. p

Fig. 10, is a front elevation vof the cutting arrangement.

Fig. 11, is a side view of a combination of single turbines to a large unit. I

In Fig. 2 the compressors and pumps of the system are shown diagrammatically only.

In this Fig., A is the internal combustion turbine.

B, is the low pressure turbine.

C, is the turboeompressor.

D, is the reciprocating compressor.

E, is the turbo exhauster. F, is the regenerator. G, is the location of the fuel pump.

H, is the location of the water pump.

I, is the location of the centrifugal pump.

.l, is the location of the regulator.

The construction of the turbine proper is following p The casing consists of a plurality of fluid pressure generators 1, between which are inserted segments 2, (Fig. 3), forming thus a complete ring, which is inclosed by the heads 3 and 4. These heads haie bearings for the shaft 5, which consists of two arts, and carries the turbine wheel 6. The eads serve also as standards for the turbine, being provided with flanges which rest 'upon the beams 7.

On the hub of the head 3, is loosely mounted the cam disk 8, which has a, geared periphery, and is'actuated from the tinbine shaft by the bevel gears 9,10, 12 and 13.. the shafts ii and l t, the pinion15, which meshes with thelgeared periphery of the cam dish/reducing thusalse the smed of the same relative to thcturbinew ieel'.

Each fluid pressure generator has inlet valves 16 and 17,.Which, ar'eIconnected to lever arms 18 and 19, aud an: outlet valve 20, which is connected with the lever'arm21.

The heads of the casing have. .ra-dially extending'arms, with bearings forthe shafts 22. 23 and 24. The shaft 22. is hollow, and: loosely mounted upon Shaft! 23.

3 and'7) Upon theseshafts arethexlever arms 18, 19 and 21 fastened Iabove the.

valves, and above the cam'disk are-fastened The longer lever arms are provided with any extending pin 28, with a roller thereon, g which rolls in the. cam grooves of the cam disk. sliding thus the valve into" open or closed position. x i

The cam disk has cam grooveson both sides, which are s'et"45 ahead, relative to each side. In. Fig. 1on1 thecenter-lines of the cam grooves-oft e other side are. shown. Two of the generators, located di'as metrically opposite, are actuated from the cam. groovesof the'oneside, and two from the cam grooves of the other side of the cam disk. 4

- Each of the generators has a combustion chamber 28, a mixing chamber 29, which are connected through the outlet port 30, and both chambers are surrounded by a steam jacket 31, which has a conduit 32, leading into'the mixing chamber.

Adjacent the steam jacket is the air chamber 33, and fuel chamber 34, with ports and 36, leading to the combustion chamber.

All these chambers, with the respective valve casing, are cast in one piece, and are surrounded by an exhaust hood 37, which is made in halves, and to which is bolted the exhaust pipe 38, delivering the exhaust of the turbine A to the turbine B for further expansion. I

The ports between the various chambers are closed or opened by piston valves. The valve 16 controls the air inlet, valve 17 the fuel admission, and valve 20 the discharge of steam and products of combustion.

The piston valves have grooves 39, which re ister with the respective ports, the valves being actuated by the levers from the cam disk. to cover or uncover'tho ports.

Each revolution of the cam disk produces two charge and two discharge periods in each generator.

The turbine shaft drives the crankshaft 42 through the gears 40 and 41, which, in turn, actuatcs the reciprocating compressor 1), the fuel pump (it, the water pump it, the

circulating pump 1, and the regulator J. The cylinders of the reciprocating compressorare arranged in a V form, and on each.

side. of the turbine shaft,'as shown in Fig. ,2.

Tlie revolving elcn'ients of turbine B, of the turboeompressor G, and of the turbo exhauster E, are fastened directly on the shaft 5. I v The low pressure turbine is shown as a no- I radial turbine, the disk-43' carries the rows The exhaust of the turbine A is delivered of -buckets 44, and the stationary rows of V buckets 45, are carried bythe turbine casing.

the turbine B,'expands here radially, and

escapes into the regenerator l".

Theregeneratorj has helical heating chan if -.1nels, intowhich the steamy coil. 46 is pIacedQ In the center of the regenerator the fuel 'pipes 47 are coded. I v

The gases escape at 48*ol'lt of the heating channels, and stream along the steam'pipe 46, return at 49 along the fuel pipes 47, and

escape at 50 into the condenser 51. In thecondenser is the coiledwater-pipe 52, having discharge openings on the under side, and which is supplied with water fromthepum I.- The condensed water is drained ug ofi' by t e conduit 53. The uneondensable part of the working fluid is removed by the turbo exhauster E, the casing of which is mounted upon the top of the condenser.

The heads 3 and 4 have water jackets, and the pump H and conduit 54 (Fig. 7) deliver water thereto. The pump H and pipes 46 convey the heated water from the jackets, and carry it through the regenerator, where it is gradually heated and evaporated by the exhaust gases until it changes to steam.

The fuel pipes 47, carry the fuel from the fuel pump G through the regencrator, then through the exhaust pipes 38 and the exhaust hood, into the fuel chamber 3- The turbine wheel 6, has two rows of U shaped buckets. The products of combustion are discharged through the nozzle 55', and the steam through the annular nozzle 56, into the mixing-(hamher, wherefrom the mixed fluid is dischargml through the nozzle 57 against the buckets of the wheel.

The segments 2. between the generators," have reversing buckets 58, andare provided with steam jackets 59. The steam generated in the regenerator is conveyed therefrom by the pipes 46, and delivered into the steam jackets 59, entering therein-at 60-, and from there through the opening 61 into the steam jacket: 31. v

Each set. ofthe reversing buckets carries an oval segmental bar 62, which projects in the buckets of the wheel and prevents the fluid jet from expansion before being reversed.

The compression of the air is accomplished in stages, first in the turbocompressor O, and then in the reciprocating compressor,

However, the air can also be compressed in the turbocompressor to its final compression pressure.

The compression should be closely isothermal as possible.

The pipes 63 bring the air from the compressor into the air chamber 33.

The arrangements shown in Fig. 6 make it possible to cut out in some of the generators the discharge of the working fluid. The lever arm 27 is in this case loosely mounted upon the shaft 24., and is provided with a coupling jaw. The respective radial arm of the head 3, which supports the shaft, is extended, and supports the fork-shaped lever 64. The clutch body 65, has a slot, in which the pin 66 of the respective shaft slides.

By pulling the rod 67. the clutch body is coupled with the respective lever arm, which now imparts the cam motion to the respecti ve shaft, and shifts thereby the valve into closed and open position.

By pushing the rod'67 the clutch body is preferably as disconnected from the respective lever arm,

which now slides loosely upon the respective shaft, and the valveconnected to thls shaft remains inactive.

crank lever 77,

The connection rod 68 actuates simultaneously the feeding valve of the water pump (not shown), and accordingly the motion of the rod increases or reduces the supply of water.

The arrangements shown in Fig. 8 make it possible to cut off the steam discharge from some of the generators with the aid of the cam disk 8.

Upon the hub of the cam disk 8the cam disk 72 is slidably mounted, and revolves with the same. The cams of the disk 72 are located by the pin 7 3 relatively to the disk 8 in such a position, that the disconnection of the valves is possible only during their idle periods. The pin 73 is fastened to the hub of the disk 8 and the disk 72 has a slot parallel to the turbine-shaft which engages the pin. I

By pushing the disk 72 by means of the lever 74 under the roller 75, which is mounted upon the push-rod 7 6 and connected to the the cam motion withdraws the clutch body from the jaws of the lever 27, which becomes thereby idle. and does not actuate the respective valve. The cams of the disk 72 change to a round onset, whereby the disconnection of the coupling is maintained.

lly pulling the disk 72 by. means of the lever 74 from the roller 75, the spring 78 brings back the clutch body into the jaws of the lever 27, whereby the respective valve is a ain actuated.

Tie arrangements as shown in Fig. 6 and 8 can be applied also to cut out the produc tion of products of combustion by connecting it. with the shafts 22 and 23.

One cam disk 72 operates the discharge valves and one the air valves.

At the start, before there are any exhaust gases in. the rcgencrator, the burner 69 is lighted. By an auxiliary pump (not shown) air under pressure is supplied to the burner through the pipe 70, and fuel through the pipe 71, which are ignited, and the heating gases take the same course as the exhaust gases of the turbine B.

The working cycle of the turbine is as follows lVith auxiliary pumps under pressure is admitted ber 33, heated fuel in and the steam which the above mentioned is admitted to the steam jacket 31.

The cam disk 8, is set in motionby a suit able mechanism preferably coupled to shaft- 14 (not shown) whereby the air valve admits the air into the combustion chamber; further motion of the cam disk closes the air port, and the fuel valve admits fuel heated to selfigniting temperature in the combustion chamber, causing spontaneous combustion therein. Further motion of the cam disk way in the regenerator,

llt)

cutsofl' the fuel admission, the combustion now takes place in a perfectly closed chamber, part of the developed heat escapes through the walls in the steam jacket, heating the steam therein. Further motion of the cam disk shifts the valve 20, and now the products of combustion rush through the nozzle 55, and simultaneously the steam through the annular nozzle 56 approximately together in the mixing chamber, whereby the steam becomes internally superheated, and the mixed fluid rushes through the nozzle 57 against the buckets of the turbine wheel 6.

The flow of the fluid is reversed several times in the reversing buckets, and discharged against the wheel until it reaches the exhaust hood 37 of the generator located ahead of that one which produced the fluid and escapes through the same, heating hereby the steam in the jacket 31, into the exhaust pi e 38, which conveys it to the turbine B or further expansion.

The steam pressure in the jacket 31 will be almost constant,'and the suction of the annular nozzle 56 will carry oil the residual gases from the combustion chamber at the end of the discharge period when the gas pressure action of is low, thus scavenging the chamber.

ering the various substances to the generators. 3

-.-' The turbine 18 designed preferably for liquid fuel, but b increasing the size of the fuel pump and uel valves it can be operated with gaseous fuel. I

: 0 p norder'to make a large unit from small units, a number of turbmes A, are arranged side by side, and their wheels mounted upon The number-ofthe generators in the turbine' 'can *be varied, or vthe same can be deforlaxial flow, or any other flow.

common shaft. Then only one turbine has the cam dislqand operates all the valves of the turbines A. The exhaust of all the turbines A is collected and delivered to one low pressure turbine for final expansion.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In a fluid pressure generator for internal combustion turbines in combination, a combustion chamber wherein combustion at constant volume intermittently takes place, means supplying separately air and fuel thereto, a steam jacket surrounding said combustion chamber, part of the heat generated by the combustion being utilized for generation of steam in said steam jacket, a gas nozzle discharging the products of combustion from said combustion chamber a steam nozzle around said gas nozzle ischarging intermittently steam from said steam jacket, the discharge of the products of combustion and the discharge of the steam occurring simultaneously.

2. In a fluid pressure generator for internal combustion turbines in combination, a combustion chamber wherein combustion at constant volume intermittently takes place, means supplying separately air and fuel thereto, a steam jacket surrounding said combustion chamber, art of the heat generated by the combustion being utilized for generation of steam in said steam jacket, a mixing chamber adjacent said combustion chamber, a gas nozzle discharging the products of combustion from said combustion chamber into said mixing chamber, a steam nozzle around said gas nozzle discharging intermittently steam from said steam jacket into said miain chamber, the discharge of the products OI combustion and the dis- 4 charge of the steam occurring simultaneously, a nozzle leading from said mixing chamber and discharging the mixture of products of combustion and steam therefrom. K

'3. In an internal combustion turbine having a bucket wheel, a lurality of fluid pressure generators pro ucing working fluid composed of roducts; of' combustion and steam, means ischarging the working fluid against the buckets of the wheel, and means cutting out the discharging means mechanicall 1n some of said generators while the hue et wheel is in motion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the 26th day of September, 1921.

FRANZ WON DRA.

l-il 

